On the directions of the State Election Commission, counting of votes for Drugmulla constituency was stopped on Tuesday till further orders citing reasons of furnishing wrong information in Form 6 by a female Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK)-origin candidate.
A handout in this regard by the State Election Commission reads that because of wrong information furnished in Form 6 by a female candidate Soomia Sadaf, counting of votes for DDC constituency Drugmulla is hereby deferred till further orders.
It reads that ballot boxes and related election material should be stored in a strong room after following due protocol.
Meanwhile Sadaf expressed strong resentment after the counting of votes was stopped.
“I am unable to figure out how could I have furnished wrong information? Suppose the State Election Commission is true, why did the officials at the helm of affairs not approach me for rectification,” she said.
Dejected Sadaf said that from the submission of DDC candidature form to the election campaigning, the concerned officials had almost one month but they did not intimate her pertaining the furnishing of “wrong information” in Form 6.
“I understand fully that they have done this because of my PaK origin. SEC has stopped counting of votes which is totally against a democratic setup,” she said. “If India claims PaK its territory, why I am deprived of my rights?”
Sadaf claimed that she not only possess an Indian passport but has passed her Masters in Urdu from Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) here on this side of Kashmir.
Meanwhile District Election Officer Kupwara, Bashir Ahmad said that Sadaf’s name had figured in voter list so her form was accepted for DDC election.